Why Buhari is Scared, Abuja Residents Speak

Malik Yahya/

Some residents of the Kuje area of Abuja have revealed why President Muhammadu Buhari was shocked, following Tuesday’s terrorists’ penetration of Abuja’s most secured district after a surprise attack on the president’s advance party in Katsina.

After Buhari expressed shock, today, during a 30-minute visit to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, that was sacked by terrorists who reportedly set about 600 inmates free, some residents told NewsmakersNG that Kuje has been the safest district in Abuja with soldiers, police officers, DSS, and Civil Defense officers always on guard at the entrance and the exit of the community.

“Kuje is the most secured district in Abuja; all the exits and entries are manned by soldiers and DSS men. If terrorists can move in easily the way they did on Tuesday and operate for over an hour unchallenged, then nowhere is safe now, not even Aso Rock. The terrorists might be more daring next time,” a resident told NewsmakersNG, adding that he has started considering moving with his family to Lagos.

The President’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, issued a statement today saying: “Soon after he arrived, he was briefed about the attack by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Mohammad Lamido Belgore and the Controller General of Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, showing him the bombed-out section used to access first, and the records office which was set on fire, adding that the invaders thereafter launched an attack on all cells in which Boko Haram terrorists were held.

“The President was apprised that, at the end of it, none of the 63 terrorists are accounted for, but it was emphasized that records are not lost because they have been backed up.

“President Buhari, who, like most Nigerians was shocked by both the scale and audacity of the attack queried: ‘How did the defenses at the prison fail to prevent the attack? How many inmates were in the facility? How many of them can you account for? How many personnel did you have on duty? How many of them were armed? Were there guards on the watchtower? What did they do? Does the CCTV work?’ Question after question.

“The President was also informed that the security forces have recaptured 350 of the escapees while about 450 others are still unaccounted for, and that rapid work is underway to recapture the rest.”

According to Shehu, after inspecting some of the points impacted by the attack, President Buhari spoke to newsmen, expressing disappointment with the intelligence system (and utilization).

He quoted the President saying: “I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation, and get away with it?”

The President, accompanied by Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, said at the end of the visit that he was expecting “a comprehensive report” on the incident.

“The Presidency wishes to use this opportunity to react to mounting criticism of the trip to Dakar, Senegal by the President, and to stress that Governments don’t stop working because nations face terrorist threats. To cancel the trip to Senegal would mean that the terrorists are successful in calling the shots, something that no responsible government in the world will allow,” Shehu stated.

Meanwhile, the Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has joined other service commanders to conduct an on-the-spot assessment, and later received President Buhari who also visited the facility.

According to NSCDC’s spokesman, DCC Olusola Odumosu, the CG was with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr Shauibu Belgore, Inspector General of Police, Controller General of Correctional Service, Comptroller General of the Federal Fire Service, representative of the Comptroller of Nigeria Immigration Service and Director Special Duties in the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Funsho Alabi.

Odumosu stated: “He sympathized with the family of personnel of the Corps, Inspector Ilyasu Abraham serving at the Federal Capital Territory command and deployed to the Custodial Centre on guard duty but lost his life during the attack.

“The CG commiserated with the victim’s immediate family and prayed to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“He added that Ilyasu was a gallant officer who fought a good fight and died in active service defending the land.

“Audi assured that the family of the deceased will be reached out to and necessary compensation delivered in due time.

“He urged citizens to keep calm as NSCDC in collaboration with other security agencies is working tirelessly to ensure the safety of lives and protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure.

“The CG said that adequate measures will be put in place to avoid such reoccurrence across the country.”

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